Moving Forward
by MadamHydra
Summary: After Gozaburo's death, Seto still has to deal with one more Kaiba before he can obtain his freedom and pursue his dreams.


Completed: 05/15/2004   
Modified: 05/17/2004   
  
Here's a VERY ROUGH DRAFT of a short speculative one-shot fic about   
how Seto Kaiba gets to be CEO of Kaiba Corp at the tender age of 14.   
It's basically a character analysis of Seto, from a male OC's   
point-of-view. But don't worry, there's absolutely no sex involved.   
::snicker::   
  
I would really appreciate your comments, and especially if you think   
if this fic is interesting or merely self-indulgent maundering.   
::massive sweatdrop::   
  
------------------------------------   
SUMMARY: Gozaburo's dead, but Seto Kaiba is still not free to pursue   
his own path and destiny.   
------------------------------------   
  
Title: Moving Forward   
Author: Madamhydra   
Email: madamhydraaol.com   
Status: one shot   
Archive: www.madamhydra.net   
Rating: PG-13   
Spoilers: entire series (anime and manga)   
Pairings: none   
  
Disclaimer: (Full Disclaimers at the end) Yu-Gi-Oh! is the copyright   
and property of its creator and legally associated parties. Used   
without permission. Not for profit.   
  
Note 1: I did some research Japanese and American family law   
(especially in regard to adoption and emancipated minors), then   
tweaked the information around for dramatic effect. So for the   
purposes of this fic, just accept that the YuGiOh universe operates   
with its own eccentric legal system, okay? ;;;   
  
/ ... / represents flashbacks or remembered dialogue.   
  
======================================================================   
Moving Forward   
An Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfic by Madamhydra   
======================================================================   
  
It's my life   
It's now or never   
I ain't gonna live forever   
I just want to live while I'm alive   
My heart is like an open highway   
Like Frankie said   
I did it my way   
I just wanna live while I'm alive   
It's my life   
  
-- "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi   
  
The two individuals gazed at each other across the exquisitely   
polished coffee table. One, a plain, rather ordinary-looking   
dark-haired man in his mid-thirties, was a Kaiba by birth, although he   
tried very hard to forget it. The other, a slender fourteen year old   
teenager with brown hair and sharp blue eyes, was a Kaiba by choice,   
and had paid very dearly for that name.   
  
---------------------------------   
  
Hiroshi Izumi -- born Hiroshi Kaiba -- was feeling grouchy and   
irritable. He should've been in his office, busily packing for an   
eagerly anticipated field trip to outer Mongolia. Instead, he was   
sitting in a posh reception room on the top level of the Kaiba Corp   
Tower and trying to figure out what to hell to do with his recently   
deceased cousin's adopted children.   
  
He was an unmarried wildlife photographer who spent most of his time   
working in various remote areas all over the world. What on earth was   
he supposed to do with a fourteen year old teenager and a nine year   
old child?   
  
The silent staring contest continued for several minutes until Hiroshi   
finally pushed up his glasses and said, "I have to tell you that I'm   
at a bit of a loss how to deal with this situation. I haven't seen   
your father in...."   
  
"My stepfather," Seto Kaiba corrected.   
  
Hiroshi blinked, slightly taken aback by the cool, almost icy   
precision in the teenager's voice. He had expected to confront your   
typical rich, spoiled teenaged brat. What he got was a cool, polite,   
very controlled young man who had a rather intimidating aura of   
confidence and maturity about him.   
  
Hiroshi cleared his throat and tried again. "Right. Your stepfather.   
I was saying that I haven't seen your fath... I mean, your stepfather   
since I was in high school."   
  
Although it had been quite a few years, Hiroshi still had distinct   
memories of his cousin Gozaburo, and none of them were particularly   
pleasant. Gozaburo was incredibly smart, no denying that, but Hiroshi   
couldn't stand his cousin's grating arrogance and over-inflated ego.   
It reminded him too much of their mutual grandfather, a domineering   
old tyrant who loved to run roughshod over everyone.   
  
"I've been out of touch with the rest of the family for years, so you   
can understand my surprise when I suddenly received a message   
informing me that I was now the legal guardian for my cousin's two   
surviving children. Adopted children, at that."   
  
Seto's response was as cool and precise as before. "You are his only   
surviving relative, with the exception of various third and fourth   
cousins, two or three times removed. The Kaiba family tree is   
exceedingly sparse," Seto observed with a slight shrug. "Which is   
part of the reason Gozaburo agreed to adopt me."   
  
"But surely you have closer relatives than me! The families of your   
birth parents, for example," Hiroshi said hastily.   
  
"Under the terms of our adoption, all legal ties to our birth   
relatives were permanently and completely severed. Gozaburo made sure   
of that. Therefore, you are the only 'family' we have."   
  
Hiroshi raked a hand through his already rumpled hair, then said,   
"Look, I'll be blunt with you, Seto. Given my work, I'm hardly in a   
position to raise two children on my own...."   
  
"I know." Seto picked up a thin folder, opened it, and said, "You're   
a wildlife photographer. You're single, not romantically involved   
with anyone at the moment, and live reasonably within your means.   
You've spent most of your adult life travelling all over the world.   
Your work is respected, and several of your pictures have appeared in   
various prestigious international publications. The general consensus   
is that you are well on your way to a very promising career." He   
closed the folder and dropped it back onto the coffee table.   
  
Hiroshi gaped at Seto, then sputtered, "You... you had me checked   
out!?"   
  
"Of course. I like to know whom I'm dealing with," Seto replied with   
a cool little smile.   
  
For a moment, Hiroshi was speechless, torn between outrage and   
reluctant respect. Then an odd sense of shame crept over him.   
Between his rush to get packed for his next trip and his desire to   
dump the unwanted responsibility for Gozaburo's adopted children on   
someone else, he hadn't bothered to find out anything about his new   
charges. The little he knew about Seto came from the rather terse   
message notifying him of his guardianship and a short magazine article   
about Seto's recent victory in some game tournament.   
  
Finally, Hiroshi managed to say, "Well, if you know all that, then you   
obviously realize that I'm hardly in a position to take custody of you   
or your brother. Please understand that it's nothing personal, but I   
think it would be better if I found...."   
  
Seto raised his hand and said flatly, "That's good, because I have no   
interest in remaining in yours, or anyone else's, custody."   
  
Hiroshi blinked again. "But you need to have someone as your legal   
guardian. I mean, you're still a minor!"   
  
"Not necessarily. Not if I'm declared an emancipated minor."   
  
"A what?"   
  
"An emancipated minor. Under specific circumstances, a minor can   
petition the court for a declaration of emancipation, and thereby   
become entitled to the legal privileges -- and responsibilities -- of   
an adult." Seto gave him another faint smile, but one that held no   
humor. "In short, I will be able to take uncontested control of Kaiba   
Corporation as its new CEO."   
  
"That's ridiculous!"   
  
"I am Gozaburo's chosen successor. That's why he adopted me and what   
he trained me for."   
  
"And you think you can do it? Run a multi-national conglomerate at   
your age?" Hiroshi said sarcastically.   
  
"I know I can." The words were spoken with such confidence and   
determination that Hiroshi found himself half-believing it.   
  
However, he said hastily, "That's beside the point. Surely before the   
court agrees to this petition of yours, there has to be tons of other   
requirements -- psychological evaluations, mandatory counseling...."   
  
Seto said blandly, "I've already provided the court with ample   
evidence as to my emotional maturity and financial competence."   
  
A bit sourly, Hiroshi said, "I see. So, was this the only reason for   
this meeting? To inform me of your plans to escape my custody as soon   
as possible?"   
  
"Not really. To finalize matters, I need the consent of my current   
legal guardian. That's where you come in."   
  
"You want me to support your request for... emancipation, was it?"   
  
"Why not? You said it yourself. You don't want to be stuck with two   
underage minors. I'm offering you the chance to get us out of your   
hair once and for all."   
  
Hiroshi frowned and said, "I was thinking more in lines of appointing   
another legal guardian, one better suited to raising children."   
  
Seto shrugged. "That is your prerogative, of course. At the moment,   
I'm in no position to stop you if you choose to dump me and my brother   
in someone else's lap, then simply walk away." He stood up,   
straightening the sleeves of his white jacket. "In that case, there's   
nothing left for the two of us to discuss."   
  
Hiroshi gritted his teeth in annoyance at the teenager's dismissive   
attitude. Damn it, HE was the adult here, not some errant schoolboy!   
He suspected that Seto was deliberately provoking him, and yet he   
couldn't prevent himself from rising to the bait.   
  
"Look, I'm simply trying to be realistic here! I'm not running away   
from you OR my responsibilities."   
  
"No, of course not." But the bland smile Seto gave Hiroshi bordered   
on a subtle smirk.   
  
Hiroshi's temper rose another notch. "May I remind you that you need   
MY consent to get this declaration that you want so badly?"   
  
"No, I need my legal guardian's consent. At the moment, that person   
happens to be you. But as soon as you turn me over to a new guardian,   
which you seem so eager to do, then my legal status becomes my new   
guardian's problem, not yours."   
  
Before the conversation could proceed further, there was a quick knock   
on the door.   
  
Seto raised his voice slightly and said, "Come in."   
  
A small boy with an unruly mass of black hair peeked cautiously around   
the door.   
  
"Ni-sama...?"   
  
Seto nodded once and rose to his feet as the boy entered the room. He   
came to a stop behind Seto and eyed Hiroshi warily.   
  
"My brother, Mokuba." Seto made the introduction crisply, almost   
impersonally, as if introducing a casual business acquaintance. Try   
as he might, Hiroshi failed to detect any apparent fondness or   
affection in the teenager's voice.   
  
As Mokuba hovered behind his older brother, Hiroshi saw the youngster   
start to lift his hand as if he was about to anxiously clutch Seto's   
sleeve, then abruptly drop his hand to his side. He was pretty sure   
that Seto was aware of his brother's abortive gesture and its silent   
plead for reassurance. But the teenager made no attempt to comfort   
his little brother. Instead, he kept his attention focused on   
Hiroshi.   
  
Disliking Seto more and more, Hiroshi walked over to them, then   
squatted down in an effort to look less intimidating to the youngster.   
  
"Hello, Mokuba. I'm your fath... I mean, your stepfather's cousin,   
Hiroshi. I'm your new guardian."   
  
"Yes. I know."   
  
Mokuba's response was polite, but hardly enthusiastic. Hiroshi didn't   
mind. He could understand how nervous Mokuba must be about meeting a   
total stranger, a new and unfamiliar authority figure in his and his   
brother's life.   
  
But even as he wondered what else he could say to reassure the   
youngster, Seto said dismissively, "It's time for your swimming   
lessons."   
  
Mokuba opened his mouth as if to protest, then hastily shut it as Seto   
glanced over his shoulder at him. Hiroshi didn't have a clue what   
passed between the two brothers in that brief look, but it did the   
trick. The boy reluctantly nodded, murmured a barely audible goodbye   
to Hiroshi, and trudged out the room. Seto followed his brother to   
the doorway. He stood there, watching the boy disappear down the hall   
before closing the door and resuming his seat on the couch.   
  
Seto's high-handed behavior had done nothing to endear him to Hiroshi,   
who snapped, "Was it really necessary to send him off like that? I   
would've liked to talk to Mokuba some more."   
  
"Why?" Seto inquired bluntly.   
  
"Why? Because it would be nice to get to know him little better."   
  
"What for? He's not going to be your responsibility."   
  
"Of course he's my responsibility! As you are!"   
  
"But not for much longer."   
  
Something in the way Seto said those words that caused an uneasy   
prickle on the back of Hiroshi's neck, but he forgot about it as Seto   
continued smoothly, "I believe you intended to hand over all   
responsibility for us to someone else as soon as possible. After all,   
you have a career to pursue."   
  
That was perfectly true, but Hiroshi didn't like the way Seto was   
brushing him off, like a bug not worth noticing. In fact, it made him   
feel decidedly pissed off. On one hand, he was sorely tempted to give   
Seto what he wanted so he wouldn't have to deal with the kid anymore.   
On the other hand, he hated the thought of being so casually dismissed   
by a teenager less than half his age. He could play hardball, too.   
  
"For the sake of argument, let's suppose that I change my mind and   
decide to remain your guardian. It shouldn't be too hard to find   
someone to babysit the two of you while I'm out of the country. Or I   
could decide to stay in Japan. Either way, if I fight your petition   
for emancipation, you're pretty much stuck with me, aren't you? And   
there's nothing you can do about it."   
  
Seto simply looked at him, then said, "Is that your final decision?"   
  
He shrugged nonchalantly, somewhat annoyed that he hadn't rattled the   
teenager as much as he had hoped, and drawled, "Maybe. After all,   
there'll always be other trips, other career opportunities, if I want   
them. It might be nice to settle down for a while, take some time out   
for an extended vacation."   
  
"And perhaps upgrade your lifestyle while you're at it?" Seto's voice   
remained perfectly polite, but there was a cold edge to it as well.   
  
Hiroshi shifted a bit uneasily. He hadn't been serious about his   
threat to retain custody over Seto and Mokuba. He had simply intended   
to show Seto that he wasn't going to be pushed around so easily. But   
now he had the uncomfortable feeling that the game was going farther   
than he had intended.   
  
Even as Hiroshi hesitated, Seto said, "Is that what you want? Because   
if it's money you're after, I am prepared to pay you very generously   
for your cooperation. Far more than you will ever receive from trying   
to take control of Kaiba Corporation for yourself."   
  
At first, Hiroshi could only sputter in growing outrage, "You... you   
honestly think that I would.... All right, maybe I am a bit selfish   
for not wanting to get saddled with the responsibility for two   
children. But I'm not a damn thief and I'm not after your damn   
inheritance! What sort of person do you think I am, to steal money   
from a pair of orphaned kids!?"   
  
"It's been done before. And you are a Kaiba," Seto replied   
succinctly.   
  
Hiroshi's response was explosive. A sudden surge of fury propelled   
him to his feet as he shouted, "I don't want anything from you, least   
of all your company or your money!"   
  
Seto's eyes had narrowed at the sudden movement, but he said nothing.   
His face remained calm, almost mask-like.   
  
Breathing stormily, Hiroshi continued in a furious voice, "I want   
nothing to do with a company that profits from the misery of others.   
Do you realize where all that money that you're so casually offering   
me comes from? For generations, the Kaiba family has made its fortune   
trafficking in death. I take pictures of animals, but I've seen what   
people do to other people. And more often than not, they're using   
this damn company's weapons to do it!"   
  
Seto said nothing, his long brown bangs veiling his eyes. Except for   
a single faint twitch of his fingers, the teenager remained silent and   
still.   
  
That lack of response, Seto's apparent indifference or lack of   
comprehension, only infuriated Hiroshi even more and he packed as much   
scorn and contempt as he could into his next words.   
  
"Or maybe you're so busy playing all your stupid little games to   
realize the clothes you wear, the food you eat, and toys you play with   
are all paid for with untold amounts of bloodshed and human misery!"   
  
But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Hiroshi regretted   
saying them. Not so much what he said -- it was essentially the truth   
-- but rather the cruel and spiteful way he had said it. That last   
verbal shot had been entirely uncalled for.   
  
Of course Seto had to know where the family money came from,   
especially with Gozaburo training Seto to be his successor. But   
merely knowing the source of the money and looking at numbers on some   
financial report, that was a far cry from understanding the ugly   
reality of his adoptive family's chosen trade.   
  
Seto hadn't seen what Hiroshi had. Seto hadn't driven through burnt   
out villages, listened to grief-stricken relatives wailing for their   
dead, or watched the crippled children begging on the side of the   
road. What could a teenager, surrounded by luxury and growing up in   
peaceful and prosperous Japan, know about the horrors of warfare?   
  
And even if he did know, what could that teenager possibly do about   
it? As a minor, Seto was hardly in a position to simply walk away,   
even if he wanted to. And it was abundantly clear that Seto had no   
intention whatsoever of giving up the Kaiba family name or its   
Corporation.   
  
Hiroshi had to give his cousin Gozaburo credit for training his   
successor so damn well, because from what he could see, Seto was   
practically a carbon copy of his stepfather, right down to same 'do   
anything it takes to win' sort of philosophy. The teenager was an   
arrogant, domineering power junkie who cared about nothing except   
getting his own way, with the questionable -- VERY questionable --   
exception of his little brother.   
  
But still, no matter how provoking Seto's behavior and personality   
might be, that didn't excuse Hiroshi's own temper tantrum. For Seto,   
buying whatever he wanted was probably second nature. And to be   
honest, Hiroshi had been leading Seto on. With his playacting, no   
wonder that Seto had assumed that Hiroshi was after money and/or the   
company itself. How could Seto know that the Kaiba family fortune and   
its source were such sore points for his older cousin?   
  
He had spent most of his life trying to disassociate himself   
completely from his family, going so far as to change his last name.   
But it was times like this that reminded Hiroshi that try as he might,   
there were things that he couldn't change or ignore, like the   
explosive Kaiba temper.   
  
Hiroshi exhaled heavily, took off his glasses, and rubbed his hand   
over his flushed face.   
  
"Look, that was way out of...."   
  
Seto interrupted the apology, his voice calm and even, but   
strangely... empty.   
  
"At present, approximately 1,000 deaths per day worldwide can be   
directly attributed to Kaiba Corporation weaponry and military   
hardware, with the number of people seriously injured typically   
running five to six times greater."   
  
Hiroshi blinked and stared at him.   
  
Seto continued in the same, uninflected tone, "Company reports   
indicate that those numbers will probably double as the new   
manufacturing plants go online later this month and make the latest   
generation of Kaiba Corp's military hardware more readily available to   
buyers. However, I consider those estimates to be extremely   
conservative. The number of fatalities and injuries will increase by   
at least 400% within six months."   
  
"How could you possibly know that?" Hiroshi demanded, sounding   
distinctly shaken.   
  
"I know, because I helped to design those weapons and their software,"   
Seto replied. He held his head erect, making no attempt to meet   
Hiroshi's stunned gaze or evade it. His voice was steady and   
unwavering, and his facial expression gave nothing away.   
  
Hiroshi continued to goggle at Seto, a dozen different questions   
bouncing wildly inside his head like startled bats. He eventually   
managed to blurt a few of those questions out.   
  
"YOU designed...!? But how...!? WHY!?!?"   
  
Seto's answer was brief and concise.   
  
"Because Gozaburo demanded it. And because I chose to comply with his   
demands."   
  
If there had been the slightest trace of pride or smugness in Seto's   
voice or demeanor, Hiroshi would've been sorely tempted to let his   
temper rip, despite Seto's age. But something about the stark   
simplicity of Seto's reply stopped Hiroshi's anger and outrage dead in   
their tracks.   
  
He had expected excuses, some attempt to shift responsibility or   
evade blame. But Seto had done nothing of the sort.   
  
Hiroshi backed up a few steps, trying to get a better look at Seto's   
eyes. He desperately wanted some idea of what was going on inside his   
young cousin's head.   
  
The move worked. Seto lifted his head and glanced in his direction,   
following Hiroshi's movement like a wild animal tracking a potential   
threat, and Hiroshi finally got a good long look into those blue eyes.   
  
Hiroshi didn't know what he expected to see. Perhaps anger, shame,   
denial, or perhaps no emotions at all. But what he saw overturned all   
his preconceived notions about his adopted cousin.   
  
On the surface, there was nothing in that intense blue stare except   
grim determination and cold calculation -- the look of a person who   
knew what he wanted and intended to get it.   
  
But Hiroshi saw something else lurking under that intimidating show of   
strength, buried so deeply that an ordinary observer surely would've   
missed it.   
  
Vulnerability. Pain. Guilt.   
  
They were the eyes of someone wounded and haunted by his own   
devastating knowledge and intelligence.   
  
For some odd reason, Hiroshi's mind jumped back to a fishing trip   
several years ago. The fishing at that isolated mountain lake had   
been decent, but hardly memorable. But just as he made his last cast   
of the day, he saw it -- a flash of a brilliant glimmering scaled   
body. It swept like lightning under his boat, then vanished into the   
mysterious depths of the lake as suddenly as it appeared. It could've   
simply been a huge fish... or perhaps it had been something much more.   
  
The flicker of vulnerability in Seto's eyes reminded him of that   
creature -- no matter how brief or fleeting the glimpse, certain   
things are both unmistakable and unforgettable.   
  
Seto knew. He knew how the Kaiba Corporation operated and the   
business it thrived upon. But more importantly, Seto knew exactly   
what he had done when he agreed to help Gozaburo create better, more   
efficient weapons.   
  
He reached out toward Seto, driven by an instinctive urge to somehow   
comfort the teenager. But as soon as he extended his hand, the blue   
eyes narrowed and hardened. Any hint of vulnerability vanished,   
replaced by a cold, deliberate watchfulness that was far more   
disturbing than outright fear.   
  
What had Gozaburo done to the boy to make him so wary of his personal   
space? And in that instant, Hiroshi knew that Seto was the victim of   
a war as vicious and destructive as any he had seen during his   
travels. Hiroshi couldn't begin to guess at the sordid details, and   
to his shame, he really didn't want to know.   
  
Struggling to adjust to this revelation, Hiroshi hastily turned and   
stalked over to the windows, thinking very, very hard.   
  
He abruptly asked, "And knowing everything you do about the Kaiba   
Corporation and what it does, you still want to take over as CEO?   
Why?"   
  
"For the money and power, of course," Seto replied in a silky tone.   
"So I can continue playing my games and buying new toys."   
  
Hiroshi whirled around, planted his hands on his hips and snapped,   
"And that's bullshit. You hate what Kaiba Corporation and your   
stepfather stand for as much as I do, if not more!"   
  
There was a brief flicker of surprise in Seto's eyes, but that was   
almost immediately replaced by an oddly defensive hostility.   
  
Hiroshi continued, "Oh, I don't doubt you want that money and power.   
But there's other, much more important reasons, aren't there?"   
  
Seto evaded the question, and said, "You've made it very clear that   
you want nothing to do with Kaiba Corporation, so why are you so   
interested in what I plan to do with it?"   
  
"Because if I'm going to turn you loose on the world, I'd like to know   
what happens to this bloody beast of a company!"   
  
Seto was silent for a moment, then finally replied, "I intend to take   
this bloody beast out of the weapons industry and transform it into an   
entertainment empire."   
  
"That's impossible!"   
  
"It's very possible. I can do it, and I will," Seto said with   
conviction.   
  
"But the Board of Directors and the stockholders would never   
allow...," Hiroshi sputtered.   
  
"As long as I continue to fatten their pockets, they won't complain   
too loudly," Seto countered with a thin, cynical smile.   
  
Hiroshi uttered a sigh and shook his head. "Well, I suppose that   
partially explains the how, but it still doesn't explain the why."   
  
"Isn't it obvious? I want the power and money that the Kaiba   
Corporation provides, but I don't like how the company makes its   
money. The answer is simple enough -- change the source of Kaiba   
Corp's income. If you can't understand that, it's your problem, not   
mine."   
  
Hiroshi pondered that, then said, almost reluctantly, "But even if   
Kaiba Corporation stops making weapons, some other company will simply   
take its place."   
  
"Do you think that I don't know that?" Seto's voice became sharp,   
almost harsh. "I can't undo the damage already done. The weapons are   
already out there. I helped to create some of them. Those weapons   
will continue to kill and destroy human lives for decades to come."   
  
Seto abruptly rose to his feet and walked over to the broad expanse of   
glass.   
  
"I can't change the past, but I can do my best to change the future.   
Maybe my actions won't make a difference in the long run, but maybe   
they will. At least I can say that I tried."   
  
Hiroshi opened his mouth to say something, but Seto overrode him with   
a sharp gesture. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not interested in saving   
the world. I'm only interested in taking care of my particular part   
of it."   
  
Hiroshi studied him, then nodded slowly. "If anyone can do it, I   
think you're the one." He paused, then said, "Look, I'm sorry about   
what I said earlier...."   
  
With a dismissive shrug, Seto said, "I'm not interested in an apology.   
I'm more interested in your immediate cooperation."   
  
Hiroshi understood Seto's impatience, his sense of urgency. Because   
with every day that passed, the Kaiba Corporation churned out more   
weapons, which meant more people would die.   
  
During the last few moments, Hiroshi had come to a decision -- if Seto   
was prepared to take on the monumental task of reinventing the   
company, the least he could do was give the teenager the chance to do   
so.   
  
He sat down heavily on the opposite sofa and said, "Fine. Just tell   
me what I have to do with this emancipation business."   
  
As Seto moved to the opposing sofa, he glanced at Hiroshi and said,   
"Just one more thing. Mokuba's custody."   
  
To his embarrassment, Hiroshi came up blank for an instant, then   
grimaced. He had been so caught up with Seto that he had totally   
forgotten about the younger brother.   
  
"What about it?"   
  
"I want it." Seto spoke the words almost casually, as if he was   
asking for a glass of water.   
  
"You want what?"   
  
"Mokuba's custody."   
  
Hiroshi thought about how busy Seto was going to be as CEO, the things   
he would probably have to do in order to rebuild Kaiba Corporation   
from the ground up, and thought most of all of the unmistakable   
coolness Seto had shown toward Mokuba.   
  
However, Hiroshi no longer made the mistake of assuming that Seto's   
outward behavior was an accurate reflection of the teenager's   
feelings. Instead, he asked as neutrally as he could, "Are you sure   
about that?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"If you don't mind me asking, why?"   
  
"Because he's my brother, and therefore my responsibility. I promised   
to take care of him," Seto said curtly, sounded a bit irritated by the   
entire topic.   
  
That little slip of temper piqued Hiroshi's curiosity. Why would Seto   
so touchy about this particular subject, when even accusations of   
complicity in war atrocities and profiteering in human misery barely   
ruffled the teenager's outward calm.   
  
Hiroshi sensed that he was missing something vitally important,   
something that would help him make some sense of the conundrum that   
was Seto Kaiba.   
  
What had Seto said just a moment before?   
  
/ I'm not interested in saving the world. I'm only interested in   
taking care of my particular part of it. /   
  
On the surface, it sounded like something any self-centered teenager   
would say. But again, Hiroshi thought of the lake, and all the   
mysteries it contained. Seto was like that lake -- there was so many   
secrets hidden away deep inside him.   
  
How had Seto phrased it? Taking care of his particular part of the   
world?   
  
Seto had promised to take care of his little brother.   
  
It was a sudden, intuitive, and perhaps irrational mental leap, but as   
soon as the idea hit Hiroshi, he was certain that he had found the   
key. The real reason behind so much of Seto's actions....   
  
What could possibly drive someone as strong-willed as Seto into doing   
something that he so clearly abhorred? It wasn't merely fear, or any   
desire for paternal approval. It wasn't even the money and power.   
  
For a moment, he simply stared at Seto, both dumfounded and awestruck.   
  
"Bloody HELL. Getting adopted by Gozaburo, doing his dirty work,   
taking control of the company.... Even your plans for restructuring   
Kaiba Corporation. You're not doing this for yourself, are you?   
You're doing it for HIM. For Mokuba!"   
  
Seto froze, then uttered a sharp, scornful laugh. "Please. I'm not   
that noble or self-sacrificing."   
  
But in those blue eyes, Hiroshi saw a distinct flash of chagrin.   
Although why anyone would feel embarrassed about trying to protect his   
little brother was beyond him....   
  
No. Seto was not feeling embarrassment. What he was feeling was   
tension and apprehension.   
  
Then as Hiroshi remembered his own experiences with Gozaburo, he   
understood Seto's reaction.   
  
Caring about someone made you vulnerable, and Gozaburo just loved to   
ruthlessly exploit a person's vulnerabilities. If Gozaburo was   
willing to treat Hiroshi that way, how much worse would it have been   
for a child completely under his power?   
  
No wonder that Seto giving him such a wary look. Seto knew all too   
well the penalties for showing any sort of weakness. And even though   
Gozaburo was now dead -- and good riddance to the bastard -- habits   
and reflexes so painfully learned were difficult, if not impossible to   
break. Too many betrayals, too many harsh lessons had taught Seto to   
expect only the very worst of human nature. Seto probably expected   
Hiroshi to use his concern for Mokuba as leverage against him.   
Unfortunately, Hiroshi had the nasty feeling that any attempts at   
reassurance, or offers of assistance or support only make the teenager   
more paranoid.   
  
Seto would never trust Hiroshi. He would always think of his older   
cousin as a threat, a dagger perpetually poised at his back. First,   
because Hiroshi was Gozaburo's cousin, and being a Kaiba by birth, was   
the one person who could possibly unseat him from the position of   
Kaiba Corporation's CEO. Second, as their closest living adoptive   
relative, Hiroshi had the legal standing to take Mokuba away from him   
at any time. And third, but not least, because Hiroshi had seen too   
much of the real Seto.   
  
So Hiroshi simply looked at his young cousin and said, "You know, I   
think that's the first outright lie you've told me in this whole   
conversation."   
  
Seto said nothing, but now that there was no need to hide his true   
feelings from Hiroshi, Seto's blue eyes promised the direst   
consequences for anyone who attempted to separate him from his little   
brother.   
  
And in the face of that overpowering resolve, devotion, and   
dedication, Hiroshi was brutally honest with himself. He didn't have   
the strength, nor frankly the courage, to stand in Seto's way. Any   
attempt to force Seto into doing something he didn't want to do would   
only lead to a destructive battle of wills -- one, Hiroshi strongly   
suspected that he would lose. Because it was becoming perfectly clear   
to him that there was nothing Seto wouldn't do in order to   
accomplish his goals.   
  
Seto intended to fulfil his self-imposed mission to take care of his   
brother, no matter the cost, even if it meant climbing a mountain of   
corpses to do it. And in a way, that's was exactly what he was   
already doing. And every passing day, that mountain of bodies grew   
steadily higher.   
  
Confronted with that nearly elemental sense of determination, Hiroshi   
yielded to the inevitable and prepared himself to give Seto the two   
things that he wanted and would accept from his cousin.   
  
He simply said, "You can have your freedom and Mokuba's custody. Tell   
me where to sign."   
  
Something in his voice or face must have conveyed his sincerity,   
because Seto merely nodded and slid a folder across the table toward   
him.   
  
"My attorneys are waiting for you next door. They will brief you on   
all the legal requirements, handle the necessary paperwork, and   
arrange for an interview with the Family Court judge. Normally, the   
process would take several weeks, but the fact that you're due to   
leave the country in four days, and won't be back for at least five or   
six months will help expedite matters."   
  
"Right." Hiroshi tapped the folder on the table, straightening the   
papers inside, then quietly asked, "If I'd made a serious attempt to   
interfere with your plans, would I have suffered a unfortunate and   
fatal 'accident'?"   
  
Seto said nothing, but Hiroshi could see the answer plainly in the   
steady, unwavering stare of those piercing blue eyes. And Hiroshi   
couldn't help wondering if the young man he was setting free would   
succeed in achieving his dreams, or whether Seto would destroy himself   
trying. And in that destruction, how many others would Seto take down   
with him?   
  
But it was far too late to divert Seto from his chosen course, too   
late to save or even help him. Hiroshi had no hope of controlling his   
cousin, and at this point, he seriously doubted anyone could.   
  
And with that depressing thought, Hiroshi stood up to leave. But at   
the doorway, he paused, then said, "Even if you succeed in making   
Kaiba Corporation quit the arms business, as Gozaburo's successor,   
people will still hold you responsible."   
  
"I know that."   
  
"They'll blame you for their losses, for their pain. They could come   
after you looking for revenge."   
  
"I know that, too." Seto gave Hiroshi a thin, humorless smile. "When   
I chose Gozaburo, I accepted everything, the liabilities as well as   
the benefits, that came with him."   
  
Yes, Hiroshi acknowledged to himself. Seto knew what he was doing,   
and would accept the consequences of his actions unflinchingly. He   
asked for no quarter and clearly expected none.   
  
---------------------------------   
  
Four days later, as Hiroshi sat on an airplane destined for Indonesia,   
Seto's words continued to linger in his mind.   
  
/ I can't change the past, but I can do my best to change the future.   
Maybe my actions won't make a difference in the long run, but maybe   
they will. At least I can say that I tried. /   
  
---------------------------------   
  
-- newspaper article, 3 years later --   
  
"July 19 -- A team of foreign medical personnel and photographers were   
killed in the African town of Kawaka when they were caught in a   
crossfire between rival factions. The eight men and one woman died   
when a stray KB32 rocket hit their van. It is unclear which side   
fired the fatal shot, since KB32 rocket launchers were used by both   
sides in the skirmish. Although no longer manufactured, the KB32 is   
still commonly used by military groups worldwide, but is especially   
popular with guerrillas and terrorists because of its compact size,   
superior accuracy, and deadly payload....   
  
.... Among the dead was noted Japanese photographer Hiroshi Kaiba and   
his wife, Dr. Elise Turano. Kaiba started his career as a wildlife   
photographer under the name 'Hiroshi Izumi', but in the last two years   
had shifted his focus to documenting and publicizing the hardships   
caused by civil wars in various parts of the world. He met his wife   
while in Central America...."   
  
-------------------------------------------------   
Keeper of Duo's Dark Side Duo no Seishi   
Saitoh no Koibito Corruptor Extraordinaire   
-------------------------------------------------   
madamhydra (at) aol.com   
www.madamhydra.net   
-------------------------------------------------   
  
====================================   
The Full Disclaimer   
All names, likenesses, and rights of Yu-Gi-Oh! are trademarks,   
copyright, and property of Kazuki Takahashi and legally associated   
parties. The characters and associated materials of these works are   
used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This   
work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.   
Original portion of the fiction included here is considered to be   
the sole property and copyrighted to the author.   
====================================   



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